ICOM in Meridian seeks to train future doctors with hopes they’ll practice in Idaho

When it comes to ranking the shortage of physicians nationwide, Idaho’s position could easily be classified as in dire need of intensive care.

“It’s terrible. We’re dead last in the nation in active physicians per capita,” said Dr. Tracy Farnsworth, founding president and CEO of the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) in Meridian.

“We’re ranked 47th in what we call resident physicians. Shockingly, we would have to bring in roughly 1,300 physicians just to bring Idaho to the national average of physicians per capita. That’s roughly a 40 to 45% increase.”

The term “critical” may be the most understated but most accurate term to highlight the desperate need for medical doctors statewide.

“Even in Boise the need is critical. It’s not always easy to find a primary care physician, whether it’s an urban or rural area here in Idaho,” he said.

To help remedy a cure for the state’s lagging medical landscape and immense need for qualified doctors, Farnsworth, whose career chart is filled with highly relevant experience overseeing major hospital systems in Southern California, leads Idaho’s only medical school staffed by a group of veteran doctors.

“About half of the faculty is comprised of Ph.D. and biomedically trained instructors,” Farnsworth said. “The other half are clinical, MDs and osteopaths (DOs). All with years of experience in family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and all the disciplines.”

Tucked neatly on the Idaho State University (ISU) health sciences campus near the corner of Locust Grove and Overland roads, the private school, one of only 45 colleges of osteopathic medicine nationwide, will celebrate its 10th anniversary next February.

Along with being a well-kept secret as Idaho’s only medical institution, the term osteopath is not one most patients readily recognize. Following the belief that many ailments are caused or arise from problems in the body’s musculoskeletal systems, DOs aim to treat the whole patient.

And like their allopathic or MD colleagues, DOs are every bit as equal to physicians who write prescriptions and perform surgical medical procedures.

“Schools of osteopathic medicine generate a higher percentage of graduates who pursue primary care, meaning family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics,” Farnsworth said. “And they’re also more inclined to serve in rural, underserved areas of the country, including Idaho, where it is critically needed.”

For osteopaths, prevention is a huge focus. “We spend up to 97% of our health care resources on care and the rest on preventive management. So much of what we treat in this country is chronic illness, and we need more physicians focused on this.”

The philosophy of prevention and seeing beyond obvious symptoms led Dr. Rodney Bates to pursue osteopathic medicine. A founding ICOM faculty member for the past nine years, he still practices as an internal medicine specialist at St. Luke’s in Nampa.

“I had taken medical students, early residents in my internal medical practice, just to help train as a preceptor to them and really enjoyed teaching and finally realized I am supposed to be doing this,” Bates said.

Prior to joining the ICOM faculty, Bates took an unconventional path into the field. A native Idahoan who grew up in tiny Murtaugh near Twin Falls, he obtained an undergraduate degree in business at Brigham Young University before discovering his passion.

Given the opportunity to study at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, the discipline’s founding school that opened its doors in 1892, he made a life-altering decision.

“I really fell in love with the spirit of osteopathy, the whole philosophy of mind, body and spirit,” Bates said. “The body has its own innate ability to heal itself, which really spoke to me and made me want to purse that field of medicine.”

After returning to Idaho and practicing internal medicine in the Rexburg and Idaho Falls area for 12 years, and with a wife and eight children, he was “coaxed to come to the Treasure Valley” by ICOM Dean Dr. Robert Hasty.

“He offered me the position and I never looked back,” Bates said. “It was one of the best decisions of my life. I used to ask myself why I was going into a field that would demand so much of me. But I want to help students become passionate about patient care, to see if they have the zeal to make a difference in this profession.”

And with a new class of 226 students this fall, the largest ever at ICOM, he’ll have no shortage of teaching opportunities.

The class is comprised of 30 Idaho students, with the rest from 31 states and 119 colleges and universities nationwide.

“Even though we call this the Idaho College of Medicine, the reality is our students, like any other college, BSU, ISU, they come from all over the country,” Farnsworth said. “But we want every Idaho student who is qualified, and we accept probably 65% of Idaho students who apply. We warmly want those Idaho kids to come to ICOM.”

And no matter where students are from, Bates knows the value of providing them with high-quality instruction.

“Hopefully, the teaching philosophy we ingrain with our students is what stands out,” he said. “A lot of osteopathic students pursue careers in primary care medicine because of what we call our unique distributive model of teaching.”

Third-year ICOM student Aspynn Owsley was born in Moscow, Idaho. She eventually hopes to practice pediatrics in the Gem State.

“I love this state, and if everyone who is passionate about making a change to our current system leaves, no change will ever be enacted,” said Owsley, a 2019 graduate of Kuna High School. “I do think I will eventually end up working in Idaho, because Idahoans deserve a physician that is passionate about what they do, and I hope I can be that physician for them.”

After their first two years, ICOM students spend the next two years in clinical rotations at one of 10 sites nationally, before embarking on a residency that can last from three to seven years.

“I knew that when I went to medical school I wanted to stay in the Pacific Northwest,” she said. “ICOM being so close to home was what really drew me in, being with my family and support system. The chance to serve my community while studying here was an added bonus.”

As a veteran hospital administrator, Farnsworth knows the importance of retaining well-trained medical students, especially those who come from outside Idaho.

“The reality is other states and hospital systems want our students,” Farnsworth said.

“For the non-native students, the expectation is that once they come here they will fall in love with Idaho and want to come back. But it’s not uncommon that many return home.”

Another issue impacting doctors in Idaho is retirements are outpacing replacements. According to Farnsworth, one-third of all Idaho doctors are age 60 or older. Funding and providing more residency programs in the state can help offset that trend.

“We’re so grateful the governor and legislature are stepping up more than ever to help fund graduate and undergraduate medical education,” he said.

“Our leaders appreciate and understand the shortage we face and what we must do to address this issue.”

Bates believes adding more statewide residency programs can be a solution. “We’re producing students on the front-end, and with class sizes increasing, it would be great to match that with residency spots and the impact these positions can have on Idaho.”

Especially in the state’s less-populated areas, where students can learn in smaller, community-based health systems.

“A lot of times these students are one-on-one with family doctors or pediatricians within the community,” he said. “Learning that way gives them a little more unique experience where they can eventually see themselves in such an environment.”

Just the type of situation in which Owsley one day sees herself practicing.

“As someone who has lived in rural areas, I understand the unique struggles of these small Idaho towns,” she said. “Often, physicians end up wearing many hats while caring for patients. It’s my hope to do my residency at a large hospital and see really unique cases. That way, when I come back to rural Idaho, I will be better prepared to handle it without the great resources urban hospitals can offer.”

With two-plus decades managing large-scale hospital systems, and serving as a professor emeritus at ISU, Farnsworth understands the positive financial impact each new doctor can add to the state’s economy.

“As we invest in medical education, I often remind the Legislature that one physician will generate north of $2 million in economic impact for the State of Idaho per year,” he said. “I think it is just prudent for Idaho to invest more in undergraduate and graduate medical education. And I say that as a fiscal conservative who appreciates economic accountability in government.”